


Mortality

by Ex_Cathedra



Category: Batman (Comics), DC Comics, Nightwing (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Discussed Previous Character Deaths, Domestic, Fluff, Gen, Oneshot Series, Panic Attacks, Platonic Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Resurrection, To Be Continued, all other batfam members are present but not mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 19:59:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18506023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ex_Cathedra/pseuds/Ex_Cathedra
Summary: The Joker is out. And Jason can only run.  Run to the only place where he has ever fealt safety.





	Mortality

**Author's Note:**

> First post on Ao3! :D
> 
> As stated in the tags, all other batfam members are present but not out-right mentioned.
> 
> Not very dialogue heavy, as I'm not very good at writing dialogue. But im pretty happy with hpw this turned out.

It was just barely dark when he rolled up to Wayne manor. Dinner and movie night, those were the activities planned for the evening, and he was invited by Alfred, so he would never deny. A trick the rest of his family has mastered.

As he pulled into the garage, he could already see Alfred waiting for him, a small smile gracing his lips, which in turn brought to his as well.

“Hey Al, am I late to the party?” he asked as he turned off the engine to his bike and took off his helmet.

“Not at all, Master Jason, I do hope your ride was peaceful?” They gave each other a quick hug as they walked up the steps to the manors warm atmosphere.

“Traffic was annoying, but it was manageable.”

“I do hope this doesn't suggest you speeding Young Sir?”

“I will neither confirm nor deny that statement.” He responded with a chuckle. Alfred simply raised an eyebrow.

As they walked into the dining room, Jason could see the rest of the family gathered around the large table, with two open places still available, one for Jason and one for Alfred. Jason sat down next to Babs and Dick, and Alfred sat next to Bruce. Small chats ensued as everyone dug into the meal before them.

On their plates were steak, veggies, and salad. Also around the table was homemade bread (Alfred's special recipe) and various sauces and toppings.

The atmosphere held a light and joyful tone. They were laughing wholeheartedly, telling stories about their wild adventures from the last few days.

Or at least, the others were. Jason was busy sifting through his thoughts.

His week was like any other week. Nothing interesting. No need to share, right?

Come the next morning, he would regret not sharing it sooner.

It being the fact that he had been hearing things. Not just any random thing. Laughter, a kind of laughter whose origin was from evil incarnate. The Joker. The Joker's laugh was unique, something no sane person could replicate, no sane person would even want to to begin with. His mere presence could permanently traumatize a small child.

His thoughts were interrupted by a collective silence, and small nudge from a rather bony elbow. He jumped minutely, and turned towards his elder brother, giving him a glare, before looking around and noticing everyone staring at him. Their expressions were all the same, all looking concerned.

“What?” His temper was flaring, annoyance clear in his voice.

“You blanked out for a minute there, you good?”. Tim, ever valiant in his efforts, was trying his best not to intrude too much.

“Fine.” His voice was far to small for his liking.

They took that as it was and just resumed eating, albeit a little more awkwardly.

They finished eating soon after, and after helping to clean up, everyone gathered in the living room. Everyone seemed to forget what just happened.

Whatever.

They ended up watching Back To the Future. And it was great. But Jason couldn't help the ping of an agonizing realization of how long ago it was that he had watched it. It was long before his death. When he first came to the manor. When Bruce and Dick were still hostile in their interactions. He felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes at the thought. Quickly wiping them away, he turned back to the movie.

They sat as a family for almost three hours, long after the movie had finished. And continued to talk. About life. About work (of both kinds). And about school. They had somehow gotten onto the topic of the possibility of Jason going back to school to get his degree. Something he'd wanted his entire life. And he contemplated it, rather seriously. That is, until life reminded him that he was still legally dead. He couldn't.

The mood had turned somber at that point. Frowns etched into most of their faces. The others were mostly confused. Because of course they were. Nobody really understood how much it would have meant to Jason to not only get his degree, but come back from the dead. Legally this time. That alone would have meant the world to him.

“I could help you set up an identity ya know?”. Jason turned to Tim, he really appreciated the kid. He was smart, and he could really trust him to help him out.

“I agree with Drake, we could give you a new identity.” Damian, ever the loyal one. Jason meerily hummed. It wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't feel real, or right. Bruce knew it too, so did Alfred.

Things only got quieter after that. The young ones looked to be anxious for an answer, while the others already knew it. Jason didn't want a new identity, he wanted his identity. He wanted his life back. For real this time.

“Well, hate to break up this wonderful staring contest, but some of us gotta get going. It's getting dark soon, and Gotham waits for nobody.” Jason made a mental note to thank Dick later, he really didn't want to face the onslaught of arguments that would surely follow his response to Tim's offer.

Standing up, he followed Dick to the entryway, both of them grabbing their respective belongings. They walked out side by side. They waved their goodbyes to each other, and to Alfred, who had appeared in the large doorway.

Jason took a deep breath, exhaustion bleeding through him. Maybe it was finally time for a night off. He hadn't taken a personal night in almost a year now. He earned it, and Crime Alley could survive one night, right?

No it can't you selfish bastard. Suck it up and take care of your home.

A vigilante's life never slowed down, and it never quite or left you alone.

Something started to eb its way into his gut. An uneasy and unshakable feeling of something about to happen. An immediate peril looming over him like a vulture circling the rotting corpse of its prey.

It probably nothing, right? He certainly hoped so. But he also wondered where this came from. His week had been relatively domestic?

This was probably just the universe throwing him off. He was a paranoid person, and he always thought of the worst possible situation, so it could also be that.

He tried his best to brush it off, to dismiss it as something logical. Like paranoia, or a leftover feeling from earlier that he just couldn't remember.But Jason's uneasy feeling only got worse as he got closer to his apartment building. Something was wrong, he just knew it.

His gut told him that something was waiting for him, an unseen foe was just itching to pounce and wrap its bony claws around him, to drag him into the darkness forever, never to be seen again. So in response, he decided to go about things a little different. Instead of parking in the alley directly north of his building, he instead turn south, going down a few blocks before settling on an alley next to an old brewers factory. Parking behind a dumpster, he activated the safety measures on his bike, ensuring it couldn't get stolen.

Taking his time, he stalked to the fire escape that led directly to his living room window. Silently, slowly making his way up. Just before climbing the last ladder to his floor, he climbed the outside rails, giving him the opportunity to sneak a peek into his window. He stayed there for a minute. Assessing every small detail to the speck. To the normal person's eye, nothing would look different. But his training had refined his senses. Not only Batman's, but the League's and Al Castes as well.

His living room didn't change. Nothing about it caught his eye. But the atmosphere was different. All he got from staring into his house was a feeling of dread.

This particular feeling could only be linked to one thing. An experience he had as a child. Only one man could make him feel this way, and that man (if he could count as one) was in Arkham.

Taking a deep breath, he ran a hand through his hair. The Joker was in Arkham, he had nothing to worry about.

He was just about to slide the window open when something caught his attention. A small, red ball, one that definitely was not supposed to be there, slowly rolled out of his bedroom.

His heart rate sped up tenfold.

Jumping down, catching each rail to jump once again, he fled down the fire escape. Landing hard on the cement, he sprinted down the street, trying to get to his bike. He barely made it half a block before he heard the laughter starting to follow him.

He couldn't hear his exact words. And he didn't want to stop to find out. So he just sped up.

He got to his bike in record time, and quickly put his helmet on. Turning his bike on and kicking the stand up, he sped away.

The laughter echoed off of everything, he couldn't get away. Dammit he just wanted to be somewhere quiet!

Activating his comm, he gave it the command to call Bruce. It felt like an eternity before he answered, when in reality it was barely a few seconds.

“Hey Jason, what up? It's only-”

“He's out.” Was all he got out before his panic threatened to choke him.

“What? Jason who's out? What's wrong?”

He couldn't get a response out, only barely managing to breath as he felt his throat closing up from fear.

He could faintly hear a scuffle from the other side of the line, blankets being thrown, a door slamming open, and footsteps racing down stairs. “Jason I need you to talk to me. Whos after you?”. He sounded every bit of scared and concerned as Jason was.

“J-”. He choked through a yelp as he barely avoided hitting another vehicle. “Joker. B hes hes out he's out and I don't know what to do.”. He wasn't even sure how he managed to stay vertical.

“Oh god okay, Jason, I need you to get to the cave. Right now. Don't slow down. I'll be here waiting for you just hurry.”

Jason simply nodded, unable to do more. Time continued to pass like a blur. He was only focused on his goal.

Treat it like a mission. You want to get out of this alive? Trust that Bruce will help. He has before, why wouldn't he now?

Well he's failed before.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he focused on the road. The laughter still echoed in his head, but he couldn't actually hear him. It only worsened the situation, because he would much rather know where he is. the Joker was unpredictable, erratic, destructive. If you couldn't hear or see him or detect him, you were put at an instant disadvantage.

He was coming up to the outskirts of Gotham. He didn't have far to go. Just a few more miles and he'll be safe.

And because Jason's luck is out to kill him, a giant truck came barreling down the highway behind him.

Only startling him more, he kicked his bike into high gear and burned rubber. The truck almost caught up a number of times, but Jason was smaller, so he managed to out maneuver it, and, eventually, out run it. And soon enough, it fell to far behind to get him.

Minutes later, and he was pulling into the cave. He had just come to a stop when Bruce ran up to him and he jumped off, not even putting down the kickstand. He ripped off his helmet, throwing it to some vague area of the cave. He ended up tripping, only managing to not land awkwardly when Bruce caught him. He turned Jason around, pulling him towards him, as Jason fell apart in his arms, all the built up panic and emotions finally being let out.

They sat like that for almost half an hour. And by the time Jason was calmed down, he was out like a light. Bruce was just picking up and getting ready to take him upstairs when Dick came down the stairs, seemingly to get ready for patrol. He only paused, completely shocked at the scene before him, before jumping down and running over to them.

“What happened? Is he okay? It's only been like, an hour or something.”. He kneeled down, hand coming to rest on Jason's shoulder.

“Jokers out. And he apparently went after Jason. He called me just barely an hour ago. I haven't heard him so afraid since he was Robin.”. Dicks look of confusion morphed into shock and horror.

“But he's supposed to be in Arkham. Are you sure he wasn't just hearing or seeing things?”

“Yes, I checked the camera I have in Joker's cell, it was empty. I even asked Gordon to double check, and he only confirmed that. The Joker is out, and I didn't even know it.”

“Bruce, we never would have known if he would go straight for Jason, he's to erratic for is to predict anything.”

He could only heave a sigh and hold his son closer. The three of them just sat there. The older two quietly looking at the youngest, utterly lost in thought. One with thoughts of failing a son, the other completely lost as to how this could have happened.

With a sigh laced with frustration, Bruce pulled his thoughts together, and gently picked up his son. Dick stood with him and followed as he walked up to the manor, all thoughts of patrol temporarily thrown to the side. He had to make sure his son was safe above all else.

Dick opened all the doors along the way, and they discreetly made it to the living room. Bruce gently laid Jason on the couch, tugging his jacket off once he was settled, and taking his boots off as well. Dick stood to the side, waiting for an opportunity to take over.

As soon as Bruce had completed his task, Dick took over. Gently laying next to his brother and tugging him closer, hugging him to his chest.

Satisfied that Jason was in good care, he quietly returned to the cave. He ran into Alfred along the way, and he briefly explained the situation before turning the marching to the cave. Alfred didn't follow, so he could only assume he was going to check on Dick and Jason.

Making it to the cave, he went straight for the lockers. He had a mission. And he was not failing this time.

·····················

It had taken hours to apprehend the Joker. Hours in which the Joker was still a threat to his family.

As Bruce walked up the stairs from the cave, still fully suited up, he couldn't help but think about Jason's call. The absolute terror that painted his voice. The complete fear that encompassed him. Fear of losing his son, fear of his family falling apart. Fear that if Jason survived, he would never be the same again.

The scene he walked into completely changed that. All leftover fear leaving him in a gust of surety.

On the couch were Dick and Jason, sleeping soundly. Dick flat on his back, head resting on a small throw pillow. And Jason laid across him, feet dangling on the opposite side of the couch, and his arms wrapped around his elder brothers torso, with Dicks arm across his shoulder in turn, and Jason's head on his stomach. He had tear tracks running down his cheeks, and his hair in complete disarray.

Bruce smiled. He couldn't have asked for anything more beautiful. It was nice to see his two oldest son's get along, especially after years of disagreement and bitterness leftover from Jason's tenor as Robin.

Silently slipping his phone from his pocket, he snapped a couple photos, and put it back in his pocket.

Walking over, he grabbed a blanket and draped it over them, placing a light kiss on each of their foreheads.

“Bruce?”. He looked down to see Dick looking up at him drowsily.

“Just go back to sleep son, Joker can't hurt anyone for a very long time”. He kneeled down and gave a reassuring pat to his shoulder. He didn't dare bring up his chosen method of how he accomplished that. Not here. Not now.

“That's good.”. They continued into an awkward silence, both looking down at the youngest in the room. “I don't think I could handle seeing him like that for a very long time.”

“Me neither chum, me neither”

And with that, he walked up the stairs to sleep for the night, quietly checking in on each of his kids. All of whom were sleeping peacefully, albeit Damian, who was asleep at his desk, face resting against his sketchbook. Picking him up, he walked him over to his bed and tucked him in for the night.

Finally making it to his room, he crawled under his covers. And for the first time in years, he slept peacefully. Because he finally had his family, and they were safe.

**Author's Note:**

> More parts will be written in the future!


End file.
